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In 2015, you invited the entire planet to revisit Star Wars again with a beautiful trailer that quotes the Han Solo and the Princess theme from The Empire Strikes Back. You achieved the near-impossible feat of rebooting the 40-year-old Star Wars franchise.

Now it’s 2018 and there’s only roughly more than a year to go before Star Wars: Episode IX (so excited!!!) hits the theaters in 2019. Episode IX will be the 9th film in the of Star Wars saga that revolves around the conflict and balance-restoring of the 2 dichotomous sides of the Force. #Gr8!

Here are the “rubs”:
1. Carrie Fisher passed away and it’s still heartbreaking.
2. The Last Jedi was praised for its boldness but it was also divisive.
3. Three years ago I watched a film called Star Wars and three years later, Luke Skywalker is dead.
4. Rey lost two potential-surrogate-fathers within two weeks. That’s too heartbreaking.

I love Star Wars so much because my parents got divorced when I was three and I believe God wants me to become a composer like John Williams and has repeatedly used the Star Wars movies to awaken the inner-John-Williams in me and to tell me that even though some pain may never go away, “no one’s ever really gone”.

Now I’m going to explain why the Maestro John Williams’s latest masterpiece, Highwood’s Ghost, is relevant to what this letter is about.

Yeah, I know that I’m nobody. And, the Chinese Government doesn’t want me to believe in what I believe in so technically I’m betraying my country by simply being a Christian, a Liberal, a Chinese born after 1997 and a Rebel who speaks Cantonese. But Rey IS someone. And, Luke IS someone. Star Wars is SO important because we all know it is a cultural phenomenon that transcends time and galaxies. It brings families and generations together. Skin color doesn’t mean anything in Star Wars. Race and gender are irrelevant to people’s paths because the Force surrounds us and guides us. Myths and Legends could be true. Kids could lift rocks and free themselves from bullying, abuse, child labor and slavery (which is still a thing in 2018, like what?!). In the Star-Warsian space operas, anybody can become somebody.

Highwood's Ghost, an Encounter for Harp, Cello, and Orchestra…
I read from the Tanglewood Program Notes that Highwood’s Ghost was “a little haunted by Lenny”. John Williams’s memory of Lenny, or the composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein, was the inspiration behind this piece that paints an ectoplasmic visit. I wonder, given that Luke is a Force ghost now, could we all be blessed with an ectoplasmic encounter in Episode IX, exploring the possible ghost-surrogate-father-and-daughter relationship between Rey and Luke?

When I saw The Force Awakens in Dec 2015, I cried when I saw Carrie Fisher hugging Daisy Ridley on screen because it was so emotional. Han was gone and it was torturing for both Princess Leia and Rey. The scene touched my soul because it was about family, mother-and-daughter, father-and-son. The fact that Rey could connect with Leia so quickly when they’ve only spent so little time together meant that maybe I could reconnect with my father, which I did after seeing The Force Awakens.

After the passing of Carrie Fisher, I thought to myself, “how are we ever going to recover from that pain?” Then I thought of The Empire Strikes Back. When Luke had to end his relationship with his imaginary Sith-fighting Jedi father and had to take in Vader’s revelation, I thought, “how would John Williams end this chapter of Luke’s life? How could the music go from being nerve-wracking and back to Luke’s Theme, from oh-no-it’s-Vader-hyperspace to the heroic big leaps of the Main Theme?”

When movie magic becomes too close to real life, I needed a theme that could literally lift me up and save me from drowning.

Time jump to 2018 and the First Order reigns. Han Solo and the Princess are both not with us anymore. Would it be possible for Episode IX to bless all of us with a scene that is not unlike The Rebel Fleet scene of ESB? When we see Luke, somehow, walking towards Rey and Finn and the music starts to play. The trio, the three droids, and Chewie, all look amazed, stunned by the indescribable beauty of the Galaxy. The audience sees both Han and Leia in their heads as their theme brings them back for one last time. Oh, I should move on, let go.

How can we go forward, when we want to look back? Could a balance be achieved? Would Episode IX be the Space Opera to remember?

I know for sure it IS going to be awesome and cannot wait for Episode IX to come.

#Gr8ful…
I think it is absolutely a blessing that we live in a world where a nobody/music student/undergrad/Hongkonger like me could potentially change the future/contribute by typing something online while listening to The Scavenger from the TFA soundtrack (yeah, Rey is awesome!!!). The Force Awakens taught us that sometimes, a little bit of wish-fulfillment won’t hurt. The Last Jedi taught us to move forward with hope (thank you, Rian Johnson!!!).

So what would Episode IX teach us? How will we move forward when in real life, everybody wants to look back every once in a while?

There’s a lot to do and we’re all counting on you J.J.! You’re our only hope!

A Fellow Rebel

I can’t believe it’s only the second day I joined jwfan and I’m already writing a post like this. 🙈